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INDIANAPOLIS -- Canadas James Hinchcliffe has a bruise on the bridge of his nose, a black-and-blue reminder of his big wreck. He can hide it with the helmet hell need now that hes back in the race car. Hinchcliffe, from Oakville, Ont., was cleared to drive Thursday by IndyCars medical team following a concussion Saturday in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis. He passed the post-concussion tests and should be all set to qualify this weekend for the Indianapolis 500. He couldnt wait another day, hopping in the No. 27 Honda with 2 minutes left in practice to turn his first lap of the month on the oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "I went overkill on resting because I really wanted to get back out here," he said. "I think a big part of it was my nose is so big it absorbed a lot of the impact and it left my head relatively unscathed." He can laugh about it now, but it wasnt so funny Saturday when debris from Justin Wilsons car flew into the cockpit, striking Hinchcliffe in the head. He was taken away from the track on a stretcher, transported to a hospital and diagnosed with a concussion. "Luckily, I dont remember most of it," he said. "Its a scary situation any time an injury like that happens." Hinchcliffe suddenly pulled off the road course at IMS following a restart and could be seen holding his head with both hands as he exited his car. "Everybodys been giving a lot of credit for the heads up decision to pull off, but that must have been a subconscious thing because I have no memory of that," he said. "I guess I was very lucky to come in time to not get into the wall there." Series officials said concussions are handled on a case-by-case basis and that drivers with head injuries must pass an ImPACT test before theyre cleared to compete by series medical director Dr. Michael Olinger. The 27-year old Canadian passed his after doing nothing more this week than some light training. He woke up Sunday with a headache but said he was fine by Monday. He was back in the gym Wednesday and ready to resume racing for Andretti Autosport. "I went overkill on the rest," he said. "Everything that they asked me to do I did, and then some. Ive been wearing my sunglasses for like 96 straight hours, staying away from all electronics. Anything they asked me to do I went overkill because I knew the goal was to get back and I really wanted to qualify this car, and it looks like Im going to be able to do that now." E.J. Viso replaced Hinchcliffe in practice this week and got a double dose of bad news: He was out of work and the engine in the No. 27 Honda blew during Thursdays practice. "I really expect that the help, effort and input I gave during these past few days are going to reflect in a good way in the coming days and during the Indy 500," Viso said. "I feel really proud to be able to help Andretti Autosport and I hope to be driving with them again sometime in the future." Here are five other things to know from Thursdays practice: PRACTICE: Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves turned a lap of 227.166 mph -- becoming the first driver to top 227 this week. Ed Carpenter was second at 226.257 and Will Power Townsend Bell and Ryan Hunter-Reay round out the top five. Kurt Busch, attempting to race in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCARs Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, was ninth. There were 34 drivers on the track who turned 2,516 laps. Castroneves said hes ready for the weekends two-day qualifying runs. "You dont realize how tough it is at this place," he said, "so to do two days in a row, itll be really tough." HELIO SWAP: Helio Castroneves is trading in the firesuit for a chance to show "who wears the pants in my family" on "Celebrity Wife Swap." The three-time Indianapolis 500 champion appears on the May 27 episode on ABC. Adriana Henao, the mother of Castroneves 4-year-old daughter, Mikaella, moved into the home of Larry Birkhead in December, while he opened his Fort Lauderdale, Florida, home for Birkhead. Birkhead had a daughter with late former Playmate Anna Nicole Smith. "I think it was a great experience for Adriana to try a different family," Castroneves said. HELMET AUCTION: Takuma Sato will put his Indy 500 helmet up for auction. Sato, who drives the No. 14 Honda, will give up his race-worn helmet to raise money for "With you Japan" charity, which Sato founded to help the victims of the 2011 tsunami that wreaked havoc on the island country. The helmets red, white and blue scheme echoes Satos distinctive helmet but also integrates elements from Japans only IndyCar race winner and the Speedways first four-time Indy 500 winner A.J. Foyt, who owns the No. 14 car. The helmet will feature Satos car number plus bricks to represent the historic Brickyard. The four white stars atop the helmet were included as a tribute to Foyts four Indy victories as a driver. CALLING THE ACTION: Former Indy car driver and team owner Robbie Buhl will join chief announcer Paul Page and Indianapolis Motor Speedway historian Donald Davidson as an analyst for the IMS Radio Network broadcasts of Indy 500 qualifying and the race. HAWKSWORTH BACK: English rookie Jack Hawksworth only turned one lap a day after he became the first driver to crash on the oval this month. He waited for the call to the track in the IMS media centre while his Bryan Herta Autosport team worked on the No. 98. "Im going to give it the beans and see what weve got," he said. Mike Green Red Wings Jersey . McCutchen hit his first home run in over a month, doubled twice and scored two runs to help the Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Sunday and take three of four from the defending NL West champions. Luke Glendening Red Wings Jersey . -- When Steve Blake checked in at the scorers table with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter, Stephen Curry shook his head and shouted across the court, asking Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson not to take him out. http://www.redwingshockeyauthentic.com/danny-dekeyser-jersey/ . The league announced Thursday that Tom Higgins is leaving that post effective immediately. Terry Sawchuk Red Wings Jersey . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario. Justin Abdelkader Jersey . Altidore strained his left hamstring in the Americans opener against Ghana on June 16 and didnt play in their next two games. "We dont know how much because we need to see how hes going, but hes available," U. PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. didnt see a reason to wait until the off-season to explore other possibilities. The Philadelphia Phillies removed the interim tag from Ryne Sandberg, signing him Sunday to manage the next three years. "I think this is the right person to take us forward," Amaro explained on the decision not to wait. "I know his philosophy on the importance of cohesiveness throughout the organization, and thats exactly what were looking for. I know he understands the importance of player development and scouting, hes got an idea and a vision of whats necessary to move this organization forward." Sandberg had been serving as interim manager since the Phillies fired Charlie Manuel on Aug. 16. He entered the season as the Phillies third-base coach after managing the teams Triple-A Lehigh Valley club for two years previously. The move was not a surprise, but Sandberg expressed his relief that it finally became official. "I think theres been a very large weight lifted off of me," Sandberg said. "Im still focused on the last eight games -- still focused on todays game to tell you the truth -- but Im looking forward to not only the eight games left but to 2014 and getting the wheels turning in that direction." Before joining the Phillies organization, Sandberg managed in the Chicago Cubs minor-league system for four years. As a player, Sandberg spent 15 of 16 major-league seasons with the Cubs. He left the organization in 2010 shortly after Chicago named Mike Quade its manager to join the Phillies, the team that originally drafted him and ultimately traded him to the Cubs in 1982. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 22005, Sandberg hopes to overcome the notion that Hall of Fame players cant make good managers.dddddddddddd "I dont know too many Hall of Famers who went to the minor leagues for six years to work their way up," Sandberg said. "I thought it was necessary. It was also the only job that was offered at the time -- that had something to do with it. As it turns out, it was the right path." The new skipper also believes he can succeed because hes a great communicator. "Communication is one of my strengths, which is ironic because as a player I think I wasnt strong at all at communicating. I was focused on catching the ball and hitting it, and it kind of stopped there," Sandberg said. "That was all part of going to the minor leagues and aging a little bit and maturing. "And I think raising five kids in the house, all teenagers at once, I think the communication skills really developed then too, and its continued." Since Sandberg took over in mid-August, the Phillies have gone 18-16. They were 53-67 at the time he took over the ballclub. "Based on the body of work that he did for us, we had to kind of take that into account," Amaro said. "It was very, very clear to me right from the get-go the way he handled the transition, which was a very difficult period, having to take over for an icon of sorts in Phillies history in Charlie (Manuel). "It was a very difficult circumstance, and he handled it well. He handled the players well and he handled the clubhouse well. I really liked the instincts and how he handled things." Sandberg signed a three-year contract, taking him through 2016 with a club option for 2017. ' ' '